04 August 2019

Prompt: Road Trip (Trope)

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug

Character/Pairing: Adrien Agreste, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Alya Césaire, Nino Lahiffe, Luka Couffaine; Nino Lahiffe/Alya Césaire, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste & Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Rating: K Plus / PG / All Ages

Notes: Post-Hawkmoth defeat, assuming that happens towards the end of lycée/when they're older. Angsty. Somehow I had the idea of a fun, light-hearted beach/road trip in my head, and it became this.

"Hawkmoth!"

Gabriel Agreste looked up as Ladybug and Chat Noir ran out of his manor. His eyebrows furrowed over his glasses, face twisting in a defeated grimace. Officer Raincomprix's grip tightened on his arm.

"Where is the Butterfly Miraculous, Hawkmoth?" Ladybug asked. Her expression was as twisted as his own, but at her question he let a small smile slip through.

"You don't know yet, do you?" he asked. She stepped forward, livid.

"Know what?! Where did you hide it?!" she demanded. He looked back to the waiting squad car, where Nathalie was watching anxiously from the back seat. Incredible…that foolish Guardian hadn't warned them. They didn't know.

"You may have defeated me, Ladybug. Chat Noir," he said, chuckling lowly. "My Emilie may be lost forever. But you have not won. You have not won, Ladybug."

His laughter was growing louder, almost maniacal, as he turned back to face her.

"I had a protégé," he continued, lips twisting in a perverse grin. "A backup contingency. You may have defeated Gabriel Agreste, you miserable bug, but you have not defeated Hawkmoth! You will never defeat Hawkmoth!"

Raincomprix tugged his arm, telling him enough, and shoved him into the back of the squad car. His head fell back against the seat, laughter still bubbling from his lips.

"Sir…" Nathalie whispered, glancing at the door nervously as Raincomprix made his way around the car, "Rossi…"

"She's their problem now," he chuckled, closing his eyes. "Nathalie…just tell me my son is all right."

Nathalie looked away from him, unable to answer. She had lost contact with Adrien's bodyguard during the battle, and no one had seen the young Agreste since…

"…I'm…not sure, sir," she said as Raincomprix got in and started the car. He barked at them to pipe down. "I'm not sure."

– V –

Ladybug cursed as the car drove away, throwing her yoyo against the stone landing. Chat Noir heard it clatter away, but his eyes were locked on the damaged Peacock Miraculous in his hands. He saw it, glinting up at him in the Paris sun, but he didn't see it.

God, he felt so numb…

"I need to get that back to the Guardian," he heard Ladybug say, and his thumb brushed against the jewel. He could feel Duusu inside, sleeping. Healing.

Had his mother actually used this? Had Emilie Agreste really been the bearer of the Peacock Miraculous?

And his father…his father…

"Chat?"

He jumped and looked up, his eyes wide and glassy. She frowned and walked over to him, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Chaton," she said, squeezing gently, "we have to get out of here. The police are going to be locking this place up, and Adrien…"

He tensed when she said his name, but of course…she didn't know she was talking about him, did she? Of course not…no more than they had known Hawkmoth was…

"Come on," she said, and he numbly followed as she leapt into the sky. At least another two blocks passed below them before he found his voice.

"M'Lady, wait!" he called, stumbling to a stop atop a building somewhere between Master Fu's storefront and the Agreste manor. She froze, yoyo spinning beside her and ready to take her to the next building. He looked at her, desperately, and swallowed. "…wait. Please."

"Chaton?"

He had always associated the rolling of his stomach as he sped above Paris with the feeling of freedom. Today, he just felt ill.

"I…I can't do this anymore, M'Lady," he said thickly. She frowned as she walked over to him.

"What are you –?" she started, but she froze as he pulled the Peacock Miraculous out of his pocket and shoved it at her.

"Take it to Master Fu," he said. "I…I'm done, Ladybug. I can't…"

He felt like he was hyperventilating. When had his suit ever felt so tight?

"Chat, what are you going on about? Come on. We're going together," she said, laughing weakly. She looked so confused. She didn't understand. But how could she? He didn't even…why was this so hard?

"Plagg, claws in," he choked out, slamming his eyes shut as she screamed at him to stop – but it was too late. He felt the rush as his transformation dropped, but even as the sweatpants and loose tee shirt he had been wearing before Hawkmoth's final attack had commenced reappeared…they still felt too tight. His chest was constricting.

"Adrien…" he heard Ladybug gasp. She sounded as strangled as he felt.

"I can't do this anymore, M'Lady," he said, shaking his head. He removed his ring, and Plagg's protests were cut off as he was sucked back inside. He grabbed Ladybug's hands and shoved both the Peacock and Cat Miraculous into them. He looked up at her, his eyes desperate. "Please, Bugaboo. I can't…don't make me…"

She wrapped her arms around him a crushing hug.

"Take all the time you need," she whispered, pressing her face against his chest. A sob caught in his throat as his arms slipped around her. He held her like the lifeline she was. "You…I understand. But you will be back."

She pulled back and placed a hand against his cheek. Tears were in her eyes, but he was pretty sure he felt them in his own, too.

"Besides…what's Ladybug without her kitty?" she asked.

She dropped him off on the sidewalk below, and as he watched her swing off into the afternoon…he wished he could believe her.

– V –

"I don't think he's coming, girl."

Marinette sighed as Alya placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. Her eyes dropped from the street. She knew Alya was right. None of them had actually seen Adrien since…that hadn't stopped Nino from inviting him on their "Team Bonding Beach Day", though. News of Gabriel Agreste's arrest hadn't exactly been private, and they all knew Adrien was having a hard time processing.

It had been even worse when Marinette, after a lengthy discussion with Master Fu, had brought Alya and Nino in and disclosed the secret of her own identity. And when, after another lengthy discussion with all of them (…fight, it was a fight, especially after Nino had learned his best bro was Chat Noir), they had brought Luka in to be the temporary wielder of the Cat Miraculous (it wasn't a betrayal, no matter how much it felt like it).

Temporary, because Viperion was still needed and Adrien would be back.

"I'm worried about him," she finally said. She tried not to cry as Luka walked up and wrapped his arms around her, a steady rock in the uncertainty her life had become.

"We all are, Mari," he said, kissing her cheek. "But what went down…it was big. He just needs time. He'll be back."

"And we need a vacay," Alya said, poking her forehead and making her look up from Luka. A weak smile curled her lips as Alya leaned against his shoulder and reached out with her other arm, snapping a selfie. She frowned as she lowered her phone and looked back to them. "But…it is disappointing Adrien won't be joining us. Would've been nice for the whole squad to be here."

"Yo! Guys!" Nino called, waving from where he was waiting with their bags. "Train's boarding!"

– V –

The ride from Pairs to Deauville beach typically took two hours, which left a lot of time to think. Marinette sat beside the window, staring out at the scenery rolling by, as Nino and Alya laughed over something in the seats across from her. She hated that she couldn't get out of her own head enough to enjoy the company of her friends. Of her boyfriend.

Luka had always been understanding, though – especially when it came to Adrien. He was good like that. Too good.

He looked up from his book when she reached out and slipped her hand into his own. He gave her a quizzical smile, and she returned it as she squeezed his hand and said, "I'm sorry. If I haven't said it yet. None of this has been very fair to you."

"I get it, Mari," he said softly. "You've been carrying so much for so long. Adrien's not the only one who needs time, but you…you can't really run away from it, can you?"

She tried not to flinch. That wasn't very fair, even if it was true. He sighed and leaned over, kissing her cheek.

"Sorry," he said. "That wasn't…I didn't mean it like that."

"You're not wrong, though," Alya said primly. Nino tried to protest, but she cut him off with a look. "What? He's my friend, too, babe. I'm allowed to call him out on being a coward."

"He's not…he is," Nino conceded, nodding. "But…I can't really blame him. After everything, to find out your old man was…I think I'd run, too, guys."

"He's not running," Marinette said, looking back out the window. She felt a warm weight against her neck and glanced down to where Plagg had crawled into her hood, snuggling against her. He looked as miserable as she felt. He liked Luka, sure, but Luka wasn't Adrien. He missed the kid. "He's just…taking a break."

She just wished she could believe that.

– V –

The train ride typically took two hours. Unless an akuma attacked.

Gabriel Agreste had warned them, but none of them had thought the new Hawkmoth would attack so soon after his arrest. The passengers – who had thought they were finally safe, despite Ladybug's press statement that the city should remain vigilant as evil would always rise against good – went into a blind panic. It made it easy enough for four teenagers to slip away unnoticed to become four of Paris's heroes.

And the battle was…weird. Because their dynamic was the same, except that it wasn't. Somehow, nothing had changed among the heroes even though they knew each other's identities. Chat Noir – who still went by Chat Noir, even if it was clearly Viperion in Chat's suit – was still an experienced hero, and he still knew how to fight with his team. They made short work of the akuma, and after a quick Miraculous Ladybug! Cure the train was back on its way to Deauville.

But it was all wrong, and when Alya and Nino made their way back to their seats Marinette lingered with Luka by the bathrooms. She clung to him, trying and failing not to cry, as he held her tight.

"I love you," she choked out, trying to focus on his warmth, the feel of his fingers running through her hair, his steady presence. "I love you, Luka, I do, but…he was my first partner. My best friend."

"I know, Mari," he said. "It's ok. I get it."

"But seeing you in his suit…" she cried, and he sighed as he pulled her closer. "How did this all get so complicated?"

"He'll be back, Mari," Luka said. He dropped a kiss against her head. "I know it. He'll be back."

And he had to believe it, because he didn't know what he'd do if he didn't.

– V –

The beach turned out to be just the distraction they all needed. Even running into Lila on the boardwalk couldn't bring down Marinette's mood once the sand hit her toes and the sound of the ocean reached her ears. Nino and Alya sprinted straight for the water as Luka and Marinette set up their blanket and umbrella, and soon they were all splashing around in the surf. Their kwamis were huddled in the picnic basket Marinette had brought along, though Wayzz kept sneaking out to play in tide pools. It was the first time in weeks Marinette remembered smiling so much or laughing so hard. It was…nice.

It was better when, hours later as they were enjoying a meal at a café on the boardwalk, a throat cleared and they all looked up to see Adrien Agreste standing there. He waved nervously, fully aware that almost every eye at the surrounding tables had landed on him.

"H-hey, guys," he said. "Sorry I'm late."

He hadn't expected Nino, Alya, or Marinette to knock their chairs over in their rush to tackle him to the ground. He also hadn't expected the blinding flash as Luka snapped a quick photo of the dogpile they had formed, or the ringing in his ears as his three closest friends bombarded him with questions.

"Knew you wouldn't bail, bro!"

"Oh my God, Agreste, you are so dead!"

"Are you sure you're up for this? I'm so happy to see you, but are you sure?"

"Where's my cheese, kid?!"

"Guys, let him breathe!" Luka laughed, grabbing Marinette and Alya and pulling them up. Plagg slipped down his collar and into the interior pocket of his shirt (where, the god was delighted to find, Adrien had remembered to stash his beloved camembert).

"I…I missed the train," Adrien said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. The gesture was painfully familiar to Marinette. "And then, when the akuma attacked, the next one was delayed a bit. I…"

He looked at Marinette, his eyes softening. What the others didn't know was that she had gone to him first, before telling Alya and Nino. Before even telling Master Fu. Trusting Luka with the Cat Miraculous had been his idea, not hers.

"I'm sorry," he said. She almost knocked him back to the ground when she lunged at him again. He held her tight. "When I heard…I'm so sorry I ran away, Bugaboo."

"You're here now, Chaton," she whispered in his ear. "That's all that matters."

And maybe, he supposed, it was.

He could believe it that time.